Comparison of Angulation Deformity After Remodelling of Pediatric Femoral Fractures

Özet

Introduction: Although there is a consensus on the treatment of femoral shaft fractures in children aged <4 years and adolescents, the treatment method is still controversial for children between aged 4 and 10 years. Therefore, different kinds of treatment methods are described. The aim of the present study was to investigate the healing capacity of femoral shaft fractures in 4–10-year-old patients who were treated non-surgically and to compare the clinical and radiological results with the surgically treated patients in the same age group. Methods: A total of 59 patients between aged 4 and 10 years were included in the study. The study included 18 (31%) females and 41 (69%) males. The mean age of the patients was 6.9 (4–10) years. The mean follow-up period was 84 (38–107) months. The mean ages of the non-surgical group (n=32) and the surgical group (n=27) were 5.9 and 7.1 years, respectively. The causes of fractures were falls from height (n=29), motor vehicle accidents (n=20), child abuse (n=1), and other causes (n=9). Results: The improvement values at the angulation grades were significantly higher in anteroposterior and lateral radiographs in both groups (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups in foot–thigh angle, foot progression angle, and leg length discrepancy (LLD). Fracture localization was not effective on LLD and clinical outcome success, and there was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to clinical outcomes. Discussion and Conclusion: The immediate postoperative radiological reduction quality was significantly higher in the surgically treated group than in the non-surgically treated group in the early post-reduction. However, the differences of thigh–foot angles and foot progression angles between the groups were not statistically significant. In addition, there was no difference with regard to LLDs between the groups.